whan þat here housbonds ben from hem ago
That for þe more part þey sorwen so
Line 2824
Or elles fallen in such maladye
That atte laste certeynly þey dye
Infynyt been þe sorwes and þe teeres
Of olde folk þat ben of tendre ȝeeres
Line 2828
So gret a wepyng was þer noon certayn
whan Ector was I-brought al freissh I-slayn
As þat þer was for deþ of þis Theban
For sorwe of him þer weepeþ boþe child and man
Line 2832
At troye allas þe pite þat was þere
Cracchyng of cheekes rendyng eek of here
why woldist / þou be deed þis wommen crye
And haddest gold ynowȝ.and Emelye
Line 2836
No man mighte / glade Theseus /
Sauyng his olde fader Egeus /
That knew þis worldes transmutacioun
As he hadde seen it torne vp and doun
Line 2840
Ioye after woo and woo aftir gladnesse
And schewed him ensample and likenesse
Right as þer deyde neuer man quod he
That he ne lyued in erþe in som degree
Line 2844
Ȝit þer ne lyuede neuer man he seyde
In al þis world þat som tyme he ne deyde
This world nys but a þurghfare ful of woo
And we ben pilgryms passyng to and froo
Line 2848
Deþ is an ende of euery worldly sore
And ouer al þis ȝit seide he mochil more
To þis effect // ful wysly to enhorte
The peple þat schulde him recomforte
Line 2852
Duk Theseus with al his busy cure
Cast busyly wher þat þe sepulture
Of good arcyte may best y-maked be [folio 38b]
And eek most honurable in his degre
Line 2856
And atte last he took conclusioun
That ther as first Arcite and Palomon
